County Court Clerk has birth records 1856, marriage and probate records from 1787<br>Death records from 1853 and land records<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'', 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Randolph County, West Virginia. Page 745 {{WorldCat|50140092|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|1049485|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 2002}}.</ref>

County Court Clerk has birth records 1856, marriage and probate records from 1787<br>Death records from 1853 and land records<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'', 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Randolph County, West Virginia. Page 745 {{WorldCat|50140092|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|1049485|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 2002}}.</ref>

== History ==

== History ==

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<div style="width: 147%; float: left">

Randolph County was created from Harrison County in 1876, which is much earlier than the formation of West Virginia as a state. Today, Randolph county is the largest county in West Virginia, with 1040 square miles of land in modern times. The first white settlers of the county were Tygart and Files in 1753. The Shawnee Tribe had many trails through Randolph County, but there weren't many settlements in this mountainous region. It was mostly considered hunting grounds, and less of an agricultural settlement. There were many wild animals in the area, which supplied food and clothing for the early settlers. Sadly, the pioneers pushed the elk and the buffalo to extinction in Randolph County, while other animals, such as the black bear, still thrive in the area today. Tygart's Valley in Randolph County didn't attract much settlement because of the mountain barriers and the Indian threat. Despite all of this, Randolph County was formed by Virginia Assembly at the home of Benjamin Wilson in Tygart's Valley. The first session of court in Randolph County was held in a town now called Beverly, in the house of James Westfall. Overall, Randolph County was a very politically and legally active community, with many surviving court records, including probate cases and wills, including the first will ever written in Randolph County. <ref>''Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.'' Edited by Alice Eichholz, Ph.D C.G. Ancestry Incorporated: Salt Lake City, Utah, 1989.</ref><ref>''Handy Book for Genealogists: United States.'' George B. Everton. Everton Publishers: Logan, Utah, 1991.</ref><ref>''The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy (3rd Edition).'' Val D. Greenwood. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: Baltimore, Maryland, 2000.</ref><ref name="history">''History of Randolph County From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time.'' Dr. A. S. Bosworth. McClain Printing Company: Parsons, West Virginia, 1975.</ref><br>

Randolph County was created from Harrison County in 1876, which is much earlier than the formation of West Virginia as a state. Today, Randolph county is the largest county in West Virginia, with 1040 square miles of land in modern times. The first white settlers of the county were Tygart and Files in 1753. The Shawnee Tribe had many trails through Randolph County, but there weren't many settlements in this mountainous region. It was mostly considered hunting grounds, and less of an agricultural settlement. There were many wild animals in the area, which supplied food and clothing for the early settlers. Sadly, the pioneers pushed the elk and the buffalo to extinction in Randolph County, while other animals, such as the black bear, still thrive in the area today. Tygart's Valley in Randolph County didn't attract much settlement because of the mountain barriers and the Indian threat. Despite all of this, Randolph County was formed by Virginia Assembly at the home of Benjamin Wilson in Tygart's Valley. The first session of court in Randolph County was held in a town now called Beverly, in the house of James Westfall. Overall, Randolph County was a very politically and legally active community, with many surviving court records, including probate cases and wills, including the first will ever written in Randolph County. <ref>''Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.'' Edited by Alice Eichholz, Ph.D C.G. Ancestry Incorporated: Salt Lake City, Utah, 1989.</ref><ref>''Handy Book for Genealogists: United States.'' George B. Everton. Everton Publishers: Logan, Utah, 1991.</ref><ref>''The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy (3rd Edition).'' Val D. Greenwood. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: Baltimore, Maryland, 2000.</ref><ref name="history">''History of Randolph County From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time.'' Dr. A. S. Bosworth. McClain Printing Company: Parsons, West Virginia, 1975.</ref><br>

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== Resources<br> ==

== Resources<br> ==

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==== African American ====

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*{{FHL|694612|item|disp=Personal property tax lists, 1787-1850}} available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library and Archives in Richmond, Virginia.<br>

*{{FHL|694612|item|disp=Personal property tax lists, 1787-1850}} available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library and Archives in Richmond, Virginia.<br>

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Vital Records

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===== Online West Virginia Tax site =====

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West Virginia real and personal property tax records are managed by the County Assessor in each county. Land and land improvements are considered real property while mobile property is classified as personal property.

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Many County Assessors offer an online searchable database, where assessment record searches can be performed by name, account number, year, or mp/parcel number. Where online records are not available, requests for records can be made to the Assessment Office in person, by phone, or in writing.

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The search for tax information can start [http://publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/West-Virginia-Assessor-and-Property-Tax-Records.htm here]

Quick Dates

County Courthouse

County Court Clerk has birth records 1856, marriage and probate records from 1787Death records from 1853 and land records[1]

History

Randolph County was created from Harrison County in 1876, which is much earlier than the formation of West Virginia as a state. Today, Randolph county is the largest county in West Virginia, with 1040 square miles of land in modern times. The first white settlers of the county were Tygart and Files in 1753. The Shawnee Tribe had many trails through Randolph County, but there weren't many settlements in this mountainous region. It was mostly considered hunting grounds, and less of an agricultural settlement. There were many wild animals in the area, which supplied food and clothing for the early settlers. Sadly, the pioneers pushed the elk and the buffalo to extinction in Randolph County, while other animals, such as the black bear, still thrive in the area today. Tygart's Valley in Randolph County didn't attract much settlement because of the mountain barriers and the Indian threat. Despite all of this, Randolph County was formed by Virginia Assembly at the home of Benjamin Wilson in Tygart's Valley. The first session of court in Randolph County was held in a town now called Beverly, in the house of James Westfall. Overall, Randolph County was a very politically and legally active community, with many surviving court records, including probate cases and wills, including the first will ever written in Randolph County. [2][3][4][5]

Parent County

Boundary Changes

Record Loss

Many land records can be found from 1787 and onwards. For example, land records can be found as early as 1787 in Randolph County courthouses, because Southern society put an emphasis on owning land. Probate records, marriage records and court records can also be found as early as 1787. Birth and Death records weren't recorded until around 1856, but began in earnest in 1917. Most of the birth and death records from 1917-1921 were destroyed in a fire.

Places / Localities

Populated Places

Beverly: created December 16, 1790 by the General Assembly of the State of Virginia. [5]ElkinsHarmanHuttonsvilleMill CreekMontroseWomelsdorf (Coalton)

1850 census of Randolph County, WV. Includes index. Arranged by house number and gives house and family number, names of persons in the house, ages, birthplaces, and occupations. Randolph County was part of Virginia until 1863 when it became part of West Virginia. Available in book form at the Family History Library.

Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone. May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Randolph County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.

[Currance] Bosworth, Albert S. A History of Randolph County, West Virginia, from Its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time. Elkins, W. Va.: A.S. Bosworth, 1916.

[Goff]The history and genealogy of the Nathan P. Goff family of Randolph County, West Virginia, Delaware County, Indiana, and Madison County, Iowa. Joseph P Barnes. Baker and Taylor: St. Louis, Mo. 1972.

[Hart] Hammond, Cleon E. John Hart, The Biography of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Newfane, Vt., 1977.

Randolph County, West Virginia, history-families available at the Family History Library. Contains a brief history of the county, businesses, churches, historical buildings and monuments, etc., and a large section of family histories, which include biographies and genealogies. Includes Index.

Land

Land book, 1802-1900 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the State Auditor's Office, Charleston.

Surveyors book, 1787-1859 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County courthouse.

Entry book, 1784-1916 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Original available on microfilm at the Randolph County Courthouse.

Local Histories

History of Randolph County From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time. Dr. A. S. Bosworth. McClain Printing Company: Parsons, W.Va., 1975.

The History of Randolph County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Embracing Records of All Leading Families, Reminiscences and Traditions. Hu Maxwell. Acme Publishing Co.: Morgantown, W.Va., 1898.

The Blackwater Chronicle: A Narrative of an Expedition into the Land of Canaan in Randolph County, Virginia. Philip Pendleton Kennedy; Timothy Sweet. West Virginia University Press: Morgantown, W.Va.. 1853.

Historick Beverly, Official Guidebook: Containing a Brief History of the City and Descriptions of Twenty-seven Shops, Dwelling Houses, Publick and Historick Sites, Illustrated: Also a Guide-map: Randolph County, West Virginia. Glenn H Phillips. Randolph County Historical Society: Beverly, W.Va. 1975.

Maps

Military

Revolutionary War

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books. 1967 reprint: FHL Book 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Western District, Randolph County on page 136.]

Record book : 1844-1866 available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Microfilm of original at the county courthouse, Elkins.

Discharge, 1917-1918 available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County courthouse.

The Soldiery of West Virginia. Virgil A Lewis. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1978. Gives available lists of rosters from French and Indian War, Mexican War, Civil War, Indian Wars, Lord Dunmore's War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812.

War of 1812

Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Randolph County, West Virginia Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Randolph County, West Virginia Genealogy:

Naturalization

Newspapers

The Randolph Enterprise was the first newspaper published in Randolph County, with the first issue appearing in May 1874. The first editor was Geo P. Sargent.

The Randolph Review was the second newspaper published in Randolph County in 1882. The founders were J.L. and A.S. Bosworth, who after six months bought the Randolph Enterprise and sold the Review plant to the town of Huttonsville. [15]

Taxation

[1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. FHL. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Randolph County is included in Vol. 2.]

Online West Virginia Tax site

West Virginia real and personal property tax records are managed by the County Assessor in each county. Land and land improvements are considered real property while mobile property is classified as personal property.

Many County Assessors offer an online searchable database, where assessment record searches can be performed by name, account number, year, or mp/parcel number. Where online records are not available, requests for records can be made to the Assessment Office in person, by phone, or in writing.

↑ 8.08.1Robert Baylor Semple and George William Beale, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (1810; reprint, Richmond, Va.: Pitt and Dickinson, 1894), 434. Digital version at Google Books.